Russell R. Cole, 88, of LeRoy, IL, passed away, Tuesday, May 16, 2017 in Bloomington, Illinois.

A Graveside Service will be held at 12:00 p.m., Saturday, May 20, 2017 at Oakland Cemetery, Manchester, Iowa. Masonic Rites and Military Rites will be accorded. There will be no visitation. Memorials may be made to Manchester Masonic Lodge #165.

Bohnenkamp - Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Manchester, is in charge of local arrangements and Calvert-Belangee-Bruce Funeral Home, LeRoy, Illinois assisted the family in Illinois.

Mr. Cole was born March 1, 1929 in Spencer, Iowa to Daniel E. and Mabel Schadt Cole. He married Nadine Nieman on April 14, 1951 in Minnesota. She passed away in 1977 after 26 years of marriage.

Survivors include one son, Todd R. (Nancy) Cole of Bloomington, Illinois; one daughter, Holli C. (Don) Hohimer of Pawnee, Illinois; three grandchildren; one great-grandchild; one sister, Norma Jean (Don) Hongisto of Berkley, California; several niec...[more]

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and nephews; and special friend, Hilda DeGaa of California.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother; one son, Scott Cole; and three grandchildren, Myles Capranica, Kelsey and Bryan Cole.

Russell was a United States Marine Corps veteran. He was a funeral director with Murdoch Funeral Homes in Marion, Center Point, and Coggon, Iowa. He purchased the Gill Funeral Home in Manchester, Iowa and operated it from 1954 to 1961. In 1961, he and his brother purchased a Terminix Franchise in Springfield and Quincy, Illiois and operated it until 1981. Russell then moved to California and obtained a Real Estate license at the age of 75. He worked in the Real Estate Industry until moving back to Illinois in 2014.

He was a member of the Manchester Masonic Lodge #165.

Russell was a loving father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and will be sorely missed.